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William Kristol-founded group targets Chuck Hagel

The William Kristol-founded conservative Emergency Committee for Israel says it’s launching cable ads starting Thursday slamming Chuck Hagel, the latest in a spate of criticism over the man who’s said to top President Barack Obama’s list for Secretary of Defense.

The spot, which hits Hagel for voting against sanctions on Iran, is an indication of the next phase of attacks on the former lawmaker, whose past stands on Israel have gotten the most attention.

It goes on: “And while President Obama says all options are on the table for preventing a nuclear Iran, Hagel says military action is ‘not a viable, feasible, responsible option.’ President Obama: For Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel is not a ‘responsible option.’ “

As POLITICO has reported, Republican Senators have openly expressed concern about Hagel.

The fight over the former Nebraska Senator comes on the heels of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice withdrawing her name from consideration for Secretary of State amid GOP criticism.

ECI was among the most aggressive conservative voices against Obama during the 2012 presidential campaign.

If Kristol is against Chuck Hagel, then Hagel is the right man for defense. Kristol represents everything that is broken in the GOP, Hagel represents what the GOP needs to win-and for leadership of a bi-partisan nature.

The GOP lining up against their own. Hagel apparently isn't neocon enough or is it just that he committed the sin of non-total and utter hatred of anything Obama, even if it's stuff you used to support. Hagel is in a strong line of prairie pragmatists (self disclosure - I grew up in ND) from both sides of the aisle and that just doesn't sit well with today's confederate GOoPers. Yet another example of the morphing of the once GOP into the SOP (Sad Old Party). Just say no to the confederates.

When a distinguished American Senator and combat veteran in the mold of Dwight David Eisenhower is subjected to a slanderous intimidation campaign because he dared state that as an elected official his highest loyalty is to serve the US Constitution and the interest of the American people, as opposed to that of any foreign nation, we know there is something perilously rotten in our political system. George Washington who warned about entangling alliances and devotion to the partisan interests of foreign powers must be rolling in his grave. The militant fanatics of the Likud bloc and their blood and soil nationalism is completely alien to the true values of our diverse and pluralistic democracy as is the ideology of Vladimir Zeev Jabotinsky which motivates the neo-conservatives at the Weekly Standard, Commentary, and the WSJ. Netanyahu and the Israel lobby directly attempted to interfere in our national election in order to use American blood and treasure to launch yet another war of aggression against a Muslim country so that their ethnic cleansing of historic Palestine could be completed. Millions have died in the wars this lobby has promoted since 1967 and the terrorism it has inevitably engendered in response which now threatens American Constitutional liberties at home while undermining America's moral, political, and economic stature abroad. Joseph McCarthy was finally brought down when his Communist witch hunt led some decent Americans to stand up and call out his own lack of decency in front of the American people. What has happened to this generation of Americans? Will we let this fine, reasonable, fearless, and plain spoken American statesman to be driven from public life by the innuendo and slander of a militant foreign lobby which expects nothing but servile boot-licking? Chuck Hagel's nomination is a litmus test of the sovereignty of the American Republic and its democracy. Is there any decency left in the American political system and public to see that this decent American statesman is not hounded out of public life for simply refusing to compromise his oath to serve the enlightened interests of his own country and its constitution before all else?

Actually, the more these dolts in the far-right of the GOP keep up these slimeball attacks, the less impact they have.

They've failed at doing ANYTHING that helps the country, all the while insulting and disenfranchising not only the growing new factions but also most of us independents in the middle. Their focus on hard-lining economic issues, refusing compromise and wasting outrageous amounts of legislative time on ideological issues has made them cartoons. And they're so insular that they don't even see it. They can surround themselves all they want with their zealous droogs, and can continue breathing their own exhaust, and they'll go down like every other failure in the history of politics.

Notice how political groups get ever-more-threatening as they get ever-more-irrelevant?

These guys belong with likes of the Branch Davidians or the FLDS and out of our hair. Let them find some lonesome ranch in the middle of no-where and talk themselves to death describing how righteous they are and how they know better than we how to govern. But leave us alone to get our government and our society back on a path of productivity, respect and collaboration.

Bill Kristol's old man, Irving -- who served as an infantryman in the 12th Armored Division during WW II -- once told Columbia University Professor Ira Katznelson that he had gotten his son William a slot at Harvard by talking to a friend there, then got him an internship at the the Nixon White House by talking to Pat Moynihan, then got him a job at the RNC by talking to his friends there, then got him teaching jobs at Penn and the Kennedy School by -- wait for it -- Yes! By talking to friends in both those places. Katznelson then asked Kristol what he thought of affirmative action. Kristol said he opposed it because "it subverts meritocracy." This wonderful story of paternal regard was told by Paul Campos, a University of Colorado law professor, in an op-ed piece that ran in the Rocky Mountain News on January 28, 2009. It begs the question, did Irving also sweet-talk William's draft board to get his war-mongering son the draft deferments that spared his life during the Vietnam War?

Hagel served in Vietnam with his brother Tom in 1968. They served side by side as infantry squad leaders with the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Division. He earned many military decorations and honors, including two Purple Hearts. Among awards and recognitions Hagel has received are: 2012 Global Leadership Award from the International Student House; World Affairs Council of Washington DC International Public Service Award in recognition of Outstanding Global Leadership; 2nd Degree Order of Dostyk Award from the President & Government of Kazakhstan; Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s Charles “Mac” Mathias Award; Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; The Commander’s Cross With Star of the Order of Merit of The Republic of Poland; the 2010 Brown College Distinguished Alumni Award; the 2010 Clifford P. Case Professor of Public Affairs at Rutgers University, the 2010 Ralph J. Bunch Award for Diplomatic Excellence from the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training; the 2009 Citigroup Foundation Lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; the 2009 Third Annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecturer at St. Johns University Minnesota; the 2009 Junior Statesman of the Year Foundation Award; the 2009 Committee on Education Funding Special Recognition Award; the 2008 Aspen Institute Strategy Group Leadership Award; the first annual Cordell Hull Award; the Horatio Alger Award from the Horatio Alger Association; the Vietnam Veterans of America Legislator of the Year Award; the Center for the Study of the Presidency’s Distinguished Service Medal; the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Golden Plow Award; the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha; the Secretary of Defense’s Medal for Outstanding Civic Achievement; the first World USO Leadership Award; and the University of Nebraska-Kearney George W. Norris Distinguished Lecturer Award; 2008 Congressional Award from the Paralyzed Veterans of America; United Nations Association of the United States of America’s Congressional Leadership Award; 2008 Millard E. Tydings Award for Courage and Leadership in American Politics from the University of Maryland; National Urban League 2008 Congressional Leadership Award; 2007 Distinguished Service Award for International Statesmanship from the International Relations Council of Kansas City; 2006 Luminosity Award from the Bonnie J. Addario Breath Away From the Cure Foundation; 2006 National Farmers Union Golden Triangle Award; the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s 2006 Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service; 2006 Don Wagner Leadership Award; the Omaha World-Herald’s 2005 “Midlander of the Year” Award; 2005 Marlin Fitzwater Excellence in Public Communication Award; 2005 Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Public Service Award; 2005 American Association of School Administrators Champion of Children Award; 2004 Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award; the Atlantic Council’s 2004 Award for Distinguished International Leadership; the Fragile X Research Foundation’s Research Beacon Award; the Boy Scouts of America’s Good Scout Award; the National Parent Teacher Association’s Outstanding Child Advocacy Award and the Committee for Education Funding’s Special Recognition Award; the University Club’s William Howard Taft Public Service Award; the European Institute’s Transatlantic Leadership Award; and the National School Board Association’s Special Recognition Award; the Small Business Administration’s Nebraska Veterans Advocate of the Year Award; USA Engage Congressional Leadership Award; Housing Policy Council Leadership Award; the 2008 Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Award; the 2008 and 2007 U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Spirit of Enterprise” Award; the 2006 Washington Coal Club Annual Achievement Award; the 82nd Airborne Division Association’s Recognition for the “National Airborne Day” Senate Resolution; membership in the Consumers for World Trade Hall of Fame; and the Friend of the Farm Bureau Award.

Let's just get this straight - Israel actually thinks it can beat out Apartheid South Africa of the 1980s and successfully pull off permanent Apartheid - they're committed now, 'all in', 'going for it'

It's as simple at that...

Good luck with that, Mr Netanyahu.

Why would such obviously deluded and irrational gambit like this even be entertained? Has Netanyahu just really lost his mind?

The answer is actually much WORSE than that for Apartheid Israel...there IS no defense of Apartheid.

Like the IDF, Israeli PMs Olmert, Barak, and Peres are all on record saying -- once Palestinians get ICC access to effectively overturn Apartheid, it's gameover for Apartheid.

There IS no more Israeli game - the only Israeli game there ever was was to stop Palestine from ever getting to the ICC - what we are seeing is the 'post-game' action like there's still time on the clock.

This is precisely what we are seeing now - the unraveling of any coherent plan is not 'the plan' or 'a plan' - what we are seeing is Israel carrying on after her Apartheid game has been LOST

This is just Netanyahu spending everything he has left like a dr*nken sailor - and that, Mr Netanyahu, is no plan at all

It's just a matter of arithmetic now.

Apartheid -->Sanctions, continued Apartheid--> more Sanctions. Rinse and Repeat

If Netanyahu played chess he would have already conceded the Apartheid game. And so says the IDF and every other Israeli who matters

Well it's all academic at this point. If the Israeli Firsters (American traitors and subversives) don't like Hagel and are trying to besmirch him then he has my support. Kristol made that decision all too easy.